Podcasts about iowans

Eric The Analytical Iowan is back on the program. We had so much to talk about and Eric breaks it all down for us. Let's get into it.

Eric The Analytical Iowan is back on the program. We had so much to talk about and Eric breaks it all down for us. Let's get into it.

The Supreme Court just finished one of its most consequential terms in years. Drake University law professors Sally Frank and Miguel Schor break down what the 2026 rulings mean for Iowans. They discuss the landmark win for birthright citizenship, the loss of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, new limits on transgender athletes and more.

Iowa has its first confirmed measles case of the year. The city of Decorah is considering an ordinance that would end its cooperation with ICE agents. And an Iowan shares her story of leaving the corporate world to start her own bakery.

Iowa Governor KIM REYNOLDS has been on an adventure exploring the great Iowa outdoors with her family and highlighting the amazing things Iowa has to offer. She tells SIMON all about the campaign to get Iowans outside to experience this great state.

Republican candidate for Governor, ZACH LAHN, catches up with SIMON since primary night win. He addresses the attack ads by his opponent ROB SAND, status of his campaign in the general election, and the issues he is most focused from what he's hearing from Iowans.

The Dream Team's Jeremiah joins Casey's leaders Angela Wood and Tierney Israel on a very special episode of Moving Forward. Jeremiah is 16 and has been training for the past 4 ½ months for his third RAGBRAI as a member of Dream Team.  He recounts his trip to New York City one year ago for the Kelly Clarkson Show when Casey's surprised the Dream Team on national TV with a significant gift to help lift up our youth. Casey's leaders Angela Wood and Tierney Israel join us on Moving Forward to announce a new Round Up for Dream Team campaign during RAGBRAI week (July 18-25).  The Round Up for Dream Team campaign provides an opportunity for guests at more than 500 Casey's Iowa stores in to support Dream Team and help create brighter futures for young Iowans,

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back on the program. We talk about the Graham Plantner situation and all the rest. Let's get into it.

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back on the program. We talk about the Graham Plantner situation and all the rest. Let's get into it.

Democrat Josh Turek, who is running for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat, says he would push to break up agriculture industry monopolies. The Iowa Bee Atlas is training Iowans to help conserve native bees. And an artist's value of environmentalism shows up in her art.

As America turns 250, James and Al discuss the rise of the DSA and its popularity among younger voters, rising antisemitism, how the recent SCOTUS decisions will impact the country, and the effects of polarization on our future.  Then, they welcome historian Joseph Ellis to look back at the nation's inception, the courage of the Founding Fathers, the long process of forging a more perfect union, and the value of understanding our history.  They are also joined by IA Rep. Josh Turek to examine the changing politics of Iowans, highlight the affordability crisis, and game out a midterm win against Senator Joni Ernst.Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon.  Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you're from! More from James and Al:Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube.James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room SubstackGet updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarvilleGet More From This Week's Guests: Rep. Josh Turek: Twitter | Website | Iowa.gov | Team USAJoseph Ellis: Mt. Holyoke College | Website | AuthorPlease Support Our Sponsor:Hers W.L.:Ready to reach your weight loss goals? Visit forhers.com/warroom to get personalized, affordable care that gets you.

Nicole Terrizzi joins the show to discuss her memoir, 'Learning in Free Fall: A Testimony of Mental Health, Poverty and Race in American Education.' Her book focuses on the crisis in America's education system. Every day school children feel the impacts of increasing budget cuts, teacher shortages and threats to the accessibility of a quality education. Terrizzi shares her path to teaching from growing up in rural Iowa, and asks what happens when those leading our classrooms are in crisis themselves? (This show was originally produced August 6, 2025.)

The Supreme Court has ruled on birthright citizenship, transgender athletes and the flow of money in politics. Today, analysis from political scientists Sara Mitchell of the University of Iowa and Dave Peterson of Iowa State University. We discuss the power balance in Washington and what these rulings mean for Iowans. We also reflect on House leadership sending lawmakers home early, the new Iowa laws going into effect and more.

Iowa Business Report Thursday EditionJuly 02, 2026        Chris Hagenow of Iowans for Tax Relief on results of the group's poll showing voters favor a constitutional amendment on taxation. 

The Iowa Nice Guy has been called up to the national team. For as long as the United States is alive in the World Cup, call him the American Nice Guy. In this Round of 32 special presented by Iowa Everywhere, the American Nice Guy previews USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, explains why Bosnia and Herzegovina is not two countries, salutes Dayton, Ohio's unexpected role in world peace, and warns America about Wisconsin's own Milwaukee Messi. Plus: Spain vs. Austria, Argentina vs. Cape Verde, and Australia vs. Egypt. Subscribe to Iowa Everywhere for more World Cup commentary, sports, culture, and everything Iowans are already talking about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric (The Analytical Iowan) shows up for us on the program. Once again, Eric breaks down the issues of the day. Let's get into it.

Eric (The Analytical Iowan) shows up for us on the program. Once again, Eric breaks down the issues of the day. Let's get into it.

A new state law taking effect today changes how Iowans access medication abortions. The Planned Parenthood clinic in Iowa City is closing. And an environmental advocacy group is suing the EPA for records about a nitrate health study.

Radon gas is naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, and the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Nearly three-quarters of Iowa homes have tested high, and yet most Iowans have never tested their home, and many have never heard of radon. Joined by Maria Steele, retired nurse practitioner and lung cancer survivor, Dr. Richard Deming, medical director at MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center, and Juliann Van Liew, Polk County Health Department Director, we look at the radon problem in Iowa. We talk about what it is, why it's so pronounced in the state, what's being done about it, and how to limit exposure.

In this episode of Emotion Well, host Johanna Dunlevy welcomes life coach (as well as an EFR Life Coach), yoga instructor, and entrepreneur, Emily Manternach, for a thoughtful conversation about the transformative power of forgiveness. Emily speaks about her journey from her start as a chemical engineer and the road she took to become a yoga instructor and life coach. In this talk, they explore what forgiveness really means, why it can be so difficult, and how letting go of resentment can create greater freedom, healing, and personal growth. She talks about how our bodies hold onto emotional experiences by "leaving the issue in the tissue," and shares practical strategies for forgiving others and ourselves by practicing mindfulness and self-awareness. Whether you're navigating a difficult relationship, carrying past hurt, or simply looking to move forward with greater peace, this episode offers compassionate insights and practical tools to help take the next step toward healing.You can watch the podcast here on YouTube.Visit Emily's website: MBody NMind YogaView her workshop: True Self and Freedom Through Forgiveness: 5 Day Transformational WorkshopOther Resources:Web Article:What is Mirror Work? Books:Radical ForgivenessThe Body Keeps the ScoreAs We Forgive Mindfulness EssentialsDonate to EFR. 1 in 3 Iowans needing mental health care cannot afford it. Your gift enables us to offer counseling to anyone in need regardless of their ability to pay. Thank you for helping us keep our promise to the community: that everyone who needs help, gets help.

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library for a special episode: the first public look at the ITR Foundation's June 2026 general election poll. These are, as far as Chris knows, the first published numbers of the cycle on Iowa's major statewide races — and the results are worth paying attention to.The poll covers the generic ballot, issue priorities, candidate matchups in all three major statewide races, and — most importantly for ITR — the constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds legislative supermajority to raise income taxes. Chris and John walk through what the numbers say, what they mean, and what they don't.The headline from the amendment question: 74% of Iowans support it — higher than in any previous poll — including 72% of independents and 60% of Democrats. Chris makes the case that whatever the margin of error, whatever the exact sample, the underlying message is unambiguous: Iowans want protection from future tax increases, and they want it written into the constitution.Tune in for the full breakdown of the governor's race numbers (closer than most Republicans assume), the Senate and AG matchups, and what the issue priority data says about the environment heading into November.0:14 Welcome & housekeeping1:46 Trivia: Coolidge answer & new Civil War question3:25 Iowa Dept. of Revenue income tax report4:55 About the ITR Foundation poll & Cygnal methodology9:17 Right track / wrong track & generic ballot10:55 Top voter issues: economy, taxes, immigration14:35 US Senate: Hinson vs. Turek15:27 Governor: Lahn vs. Sand15:47 Attorney General: Bird vs. Williams17:00 Sand's name ID advantage — and its limits20:38 The constitutional amendment explained22:13 74% support — breaking down the numbers24:00 Why the amendment resonates across party lines28:25 ESA / school choice numbers31:45 What it all means heading into November34:31 Sign off

Ten days, a quarter-million miles from Earth and for the first time since 1972, humans flew around the moon. On this archive episode, we hear from three Iowans who were involved in the historic Artemis II mission that was completed on April 11. Madison Tuttle of West Des Moines, Jack Sieleman of Waukee and Alex Brewer of Council Bluffs share about their love of space exploration — whether lifelong or found on the job — and what their roles were in the preparation for and execution of Artemis II. (This show was originally produced April 2026).

Mrs. Meyer of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day cleaning products is a real woman who lives right here in Iowa. Today, we hear from Thelma Meyer and her daughter Monica Nassif, founder of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day and author of 'I Bottled My Mother.' Then, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Beaverdale Bluegrass Festival.

There are fewer Iowans enrolled in SNAP since a federal law change. The governor has appointed a new director of the state's largest agency. And Des Moines area residents are still under a lawn watering ban.

'Urban Mining' explores how discarded electronics and wind turbines are being turned into a domestic source of rare earth elements. We hear from the filmmaker behind the documentary and two of the Iowans at the center of this work. The film will be showing at 4 p.m., Saturday, June 27 at the Interrobang Film Festival in Des Moines.

In this candid, no-filters episode of Old Man Strength, hosts Tim Johnson and Chris Shipley sit down with Ross Eveland, Democratic candidate for Story County Supervisor, for a real conversation about local government, why he's running, and the issues that actually affect everyday Iowans.Ross shares his rural roots growing up on a century farm near Oskaloosa, his time at Iowa State, and the path that led him through substitute teaching, Instacart/Walmart deliveries, and umpiring baseball and football (including college games). He explains what county supervisors actually do — managing budgets, secondary roads, planning & zoning, and property taxes — and why he believes competitive races and representation from outside Ames are essential, especially after recent district changes.The conversation dives deep into the issues Ross is prioritizing:Expanding mental health services and first-responder training in rural Story CountyImproving roads, bridges, and infrastructureTax rate transparency and fiscal responsibilityStrong opposition to large data centers and their impact on water, electricity rates, farmland, and long-term local jobsCutting through partisan noise to actually listen to constituentsRoss also opens up about the importance of checking in on friends and family for mental health, the critical shortage of sports officials, and why everyday people should consider running for local office to give voters real choices on the ballot.Recorded live from the AKC Andrew Downs Studios and powered by Revelton Distilling Company. Sponsored by Iowa Beef Steakhouse, Jenny Farrell with RE/MAX Concepts, and Styled by JJ Boutique.If you care about local government, rural Iowa issues, or just want an honest conversation about what county supervisors actually do, this one's worth your time.Subscribe to Old Man Strength for more unfiltered talk from Three Beards Media. New episodes weekly.

SIMON and Congresswoman MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS discuss why U.S. Transportation Secretary SEAN DUFFY was in Iowa today & where they went. They also discuss the recent military losses, including an Iowan, and the incredible thwarting of the terror plot against the White House.

Welcome to In Reality, the podcast about truth, disinformation, and the media with Eric Schurenberg, longtime journalist and media executive, now founder of the Alliance for Trust in Media. When Eric interviewed Rob Sand last summer, his run for Iowa governor had more than a whiff of tilting at windmills. He remains the only Democrat to hold statewide elected office in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the governorship in more than 20 years and that Trump carried in 2024 by 13 points.  Sand's prospects have drastically improved. Nothing quixotic about it now. He has run a campaign that may be one of the most bi-partisan in the country, by accusing both parties as out of touch with Iowans. His Republican opponent, Zach Lahn, has vulnerabilities, including that he voted in Kansas until recently, allowing Sand's campaign to label him a carpetbagger.  Which is why we decided to encore last summer's interview. We'll hear how Sand plans to persuade Republicans to cross party lines and vote for him. We'll hear what personal qualities he thinks can bridge political divides and how, in his own life, he manages to avoid being trapped in the filter bubbles that make America's media ecosystem so toxic to civil discourse.  Imagine an election in which the deciding principle isn't 'let's choose the lesser of two evils', but rather, 'may the best man win'. What a concept.  Website - free episode transcriptswww.in-reality.fmAlliance for Trust in Mediaalliancefortrust.comProduced by Tom Platts at Sound Sapiensoundsapien.com

Eric the Analytical Iowan steps up and appears on this episode. It's always a great conversation when Eric breaks it all down. Let's get into it.

Eric the Analytical Iowan steps up and appears on this episode. It's always a great conversation when Eric breaks it all down. Let's get into it.

A pediatrician who works with a range of patients with autism helps us understand autism spectrum disorder, why diagnosis is more common today and what we know about possible causes on this award-winning episode. Then, Iowans in the autism community share their thoughts and experiences. (This episode was originally produced in October 2025.)

Data centers are massive and thirsty for water and power. Iowans are split on whether they're good neighbors. On this episode, the data center debate as cities and counties throughout the state are weighing potential data center installations. First, a Brookings Institution researcher on what rural communities stand to gain and lose from these developments. Then, Linn County Supervisor Sami Scheetz joins to discuss the ordinance they passed earlier this year and how it compares to other local governments' approaches to recent data center proposals. Iowa's state geologist discusses whether Iowa's groundwater supply can handle the demand from data centers. And a public health researcher joins to discuss the public health implications from data centers powered by nonrenewable sources.

On this Newsbuzz episode, we recap this week's severe weather, why Iowa pork producers are taking their fight over California's Prop 12 to Congress, high nitrate levels in Iowa's rivers and more.

Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson are back in the Hendrickson Library with a packed episode covering Iowa's fast-moving post-primary political landscape. Both gubernatorial candidates have now selected their running mates: Rob Sand tapped Dave Muhlbauer, a farmer from western Iowa, while Zach Lahn chose State Representative Derek Wulf of Black Hawk County, also a farmer. Chris and John break down the strategy behind each pick, why Wulf stands out as a particularly strong choice for Lahn, and what the selection of two agricultural running mates signals about where both campaigns think the race will be won.The conversation turns to the broader general election dynamics shaping up between Lahn and Sand. Chris and John assess how quickly the Republican Party has consolidated around Lahn, the head start Sand's campaign has built toward a general election operation, and how the scrutiny of a real general election contest may complicate Sand's carefully constructed moderate image. A Republican Party audio drop this week — featuring Sand openly calling for political retribution on judicial nominations — gives the Lahn campaign exactly the kind of contrast material it needs to make the "governor for all Iowans" sell a harder one for Sand.The second half of the episode takes up two policy-driven stories. First, the final report on Iowa's Universal Basic Income pilot — a project run through several central Iowa cities that distributed $500 monthly stipends to participants. The report's conclusions, citing reduced stress and improved "sense of mattering," prompt a pointed exchange about what government is actually for, who's paying, and why local governments have no business engineering social outcomes with taxpayer dollars. Chris and John connect this directly to Iowa's property tax problem and the fiscal absurdity of local governments playing philanthropist.Finally, a Des Moines Register story on the city of Des Moines reconsidering its tax incentive programs — including TIF and property tax abatements — gives Chris and John a chance to explore when these tools have merit and when they're simply political ribbon-cutting at taxpayer expense.0:13 Welcome & housekeeping2:24 Trivia: Laddie Boy & Smoot-Hawley5:01 Correction & running mate announcements5:52 Sand picks Muhlbauer, Lahn picks Derek Wulf8:22 Why Wulf is a strong pick for Lahn10:32 GOP consolidation & Lahn's general election ramp-up12:22 Sand's media advantage and the contrast campaign ahead13:37 Sand audio drop & turning him into a generic Democrat14:34 Andy Beshear visits Iowa — 2028 implications15:32 Iowa's UBI pilot: background and ITR's role18:15 Dissecting the report — who pays for "feeling mattered"?21:22 UBI, local government overreach, and property taxes25:59 Des Moines reconsiders TIF and tax incentives28:05 When incentives work — and when they're ribbon-cutting30:33 Free market vs. government-directed development33:28 Sign off

Frederick Newell came to Iowa City 20 years ago as a college freshman and single father, who recognized a need for support for young parents and underrepresented Iowans. As social worker, in 2012 Newell founded Dream City, a nonprofit that supports youth, families and entrepreneurs in Iowa City. Later in the program, we hear from documentary filmmaker and Muscatine native Chris Ward about his new film, 'The Journeying.'

From parenting & 90s nostaligia to James Bond to what or when can a transplant consider & call themselves an Iowan? SIMON and MRS C discuss all this and more this hour!

Steve Schmidt speaks with Iowa State Rep. and US Senate candidate Josh Turek as part of the Save America Movement's "Fighting Democrats" series. Hear what Turek has to say about working across the aisle to deliver for Iowans, and why he’s such a such a strong contender to flip this seat from red to blue — something that hasn’t happened in Iowa in nearly 20 years. Support The Warning and become a YouTube member today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I50t9-7Ol7AjwryRv-Fiw/join Today's Merch: The People's House https://thewarningwithsteveschmidt.com/products/the-peoples-house-tee SUBSCRIBE for more and follow me here: Substack: https://steveschmidt.substack.com/subscribe Store: https://thewarningwithsteveschmidt.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewarningses.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteveSchmidtSES/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarningses Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewarningses/ X: https://x.com/SteveSchmidtSES

It's Tuesday, June 9th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Vietnamese Communists have imprisoned 57 Christians Religious freedom is tenuous in Vietnam.  That's the subject of a new report by International Christian Concern.   At last count, Vietnam has 57 unreleased religious prisoners, five of whom were subjected to government-initiated torture. Pastors and evangelists are imprisoned for what is called “undermining national unity policy” or “abusing democratic freedoms”, whatever that is.   And Christmas is a dangerous time for Vietnamese Christians. That's when arrests accelerate in the Central Highlands, especially for believers who are caught worshiping in churches unsponsored by the communist government. State Dept. weighs in on the murder of a Brit by a Sikh Tensions between the United States and the United Kingdom have increased over the killing of a Brit named Henry Nowak. Last December, he was killed by a Sikh, a son of an Indian immigrant. The murderer had falsely accused Nowak of a hate crime.  Sadly, the police chose to believe the murderer instead of the victim in the crime.   In response, the U.S. State Department issued a statement pointing out “ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing” as “glaring symptoms of civilizational decline” in the United Kingdom.   Vice President J.D. Vance also stated on social media that “Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies: abandoned, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused of hate crimes he did not commit.” Countries where the most Evangelicals live The most Evangelicals in the world live in -- you may have never guessed it -- China.    The Joshua Project puts China at the top with 106 million Evangelicals. The United States comes in second with 92 million Evangelicals. Then, comes Nigeria with 64 million, and Brazil with 53 million.   The other nations with the largest Evangelical populations include Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, and Uganda. Among the unreached nations of the world with the lowest Christian populations are these European countries: Austria, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Norway, and Sweden. Brazil's surge of Evangelicals and loss of Catholics Brazil has seen a surge of Evangelicals — now at 27%, up from 21.6% in 2010.  Brazil's atheist population grew from 8% to 9.3%. The nation's Roman Catholic population took the hit, losing about 8% since 2010. Catholics now represent only 56.7% of Brazilians. Catholicism made up 99% of the population back in 1890, according to the recently released Census of Traditional Peoples and Communities. New poll: America is viewed negatively America is viewed as increasingly unpopular worldwide while China is receiving higher marks for popular approval. Gallup's recent international poll found America at a 31% level vs. China's 36%.  That's the highest gap in history. America's net approval ratings have always dropped to the lowest levels in the history of the survey -- now at negative 15%. Trump's endorsed candidate for Iowa governor loses 8/10 of a point Iowa conservative Zach Lahn won the nomination for governor in a crowded Iowa GOP primary last week.  Lahn won his primary with just 38% of the vote — a close victory over Trump-endorsed Congressman Randy Feenstra, who earned 37.2% of the vote. Listen to the opening of Lahn's victory speech. LAHN: “I don't have to tell you this, but nobody thought this could be done. We were outspent, opposed by the establishment, told to wait our turn. Well, tonight the people of Iowa had something to say about that. We're not going to wait anymore!” (cheers) Lahn is a sixth generation Iowan who has spoken out against chemical manufacturers and Chinese land ownership here in the United States. Texas Rangers doesn't endorse homosexual pride month The LGBTQ and so-called “Pride Month” fervor has slowed greatly under the Trump administration, but not completely. Sports teams across the nation continue to celebrate Homosexual Pride Month. To their credit, the Texas Rangers are the only team in Major League Baseball to abstain from celebrating perverted lifestyles.  Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen opposes homosexual pride But some are still standing against homosexuality on a personal level.  Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen was the only player on his team who did not appear on the field in a homosexual “Pride” hat last Friday, standing by his convictions. The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has been known to openly support homosexuality, transgenderism, and drag.  Influencer Jon Root praises Treinen's actions. He wrote, “While other professed Christians, Dodgers [shortstop] Mookie Betts and manager Dave Roberts wore [homosexual transgender] “pride” hats, only Blake Treinen, [the pitcher], refused. Don't bow down to the idols of our age, Christians. Stand firm like Treinen.” Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  Send a two-sentence thank you note to Blake Treinen for standing against the homosexual agenda. The address is Los Angeles Dodgers, 1000 Vin Scully Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Trump's $1.7 billion “anti-weaponization” fund shot down President Donald Trump's controversial $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund has been shot down by the courts and those within his own party. Several Republican senators objected to the newly created fund, which would have had taxpayers foot the bill and paid out victims of political persecution while also shielding the Trump family from federal tax review.  June 9th anniversary of Scottish missionary Columba And finally, on this date, June 9th, A.D. 597, the great Irish Christian missionary, Columba, went to be with the Lord. Columba, also known as Columcille, planted churches all over Scotland and established the famed missionary school on the isle of Iona in A.D. 563, a training ground for missionaries over the next several centuries.  Born around the year A.D. 521, Columba was in line to become a High King of Ireland, but chose to serve the Lord in foreign lands instead. Isaiah 52:7 states, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”  Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, June 9th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back in the house. So much to cover and he's just the guy to cover it. Let's get into it.

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back in the house. So much to cover and he's just the guy to cover it. Let's get into it.

Secretary of State PAUL PATE and the CEO of Iowa Better Business Bureau, CHRIS COLEMAN are in studio with SIMON to warn Iowans of the many ways criminals are trying to defraud us, including the most recent scam discovered in West Des Moines and how you can protect yourself & loved ones from fraud. BBB.org

There's a lot to talk about today and sadly it's not all great news. Texas teenager, Karmelo Anthony, was found guilty of murder for the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet. Sides are now blaming race and racism for today's verdict. Later, SIMON is joined in studio by Secretary of State PAUL PATE and the CEO of Iowa Better Business Bureau, CHRIS COLEMAN to share the most recent way criminals are trying to defraud Iowans and how you can protect yourself. Also, SIMON and MRS C. offer their sympathies and condolences to the friends, family & citizens of Warren County over the passing of Iowa Senator Julian Garrett from prostate cancer.

As a lifelong Iowan and Veteran of the Air National Guard with a 22 year background in economic development, GOP candidate, CHRIS MCGOWAN, is live in-studio to share with SIMON his plan, his vision and his commitment to the constituents Iowa's 4th Congressional District

On this Newsbuzz episode, we take a look at the latest bills Gov. Reynolds has signed into law in her final session as governor. We also hear about a new University of Iowa program to improve health outcomes for Iowans and how the Iowa City School District is navigating deep financial mismanagement. Then, state climatologist Justin Glisan joins us to discuss the threat of a flash drought in Iowa. We'll also hear from IPR's Nicole Baxter on National Drive-In Movie Day and we groove into the weekend with Studio One host Lucius Pham.

While it is not unusual for Donald Trump to appoint completely unqualified people to important jobs in his administration, his choice of Bill Pulte, a Mar-a-Lago suck-up who Trump had already gifted the position of director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to be the new Director of National Intelligence is too far for many Republicans who are already dealing with the burden of association with Trump's unpopularity. Senator Adam Schiff, a former member of the House Intelligence Committee, discusses with Jen Psaki. Jen Psaki talks with Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek, now the Democratic candidate for Senate, about how Donald Trump's policies, from tariffs to the war with Iran have made the challenges Iowans deal with, particularly Iowa's farmers, more difficult, and how he addresses that in his campaign. Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent for MeidasTouch, talks with Jen Psaki about the calamity taking place at CBS News as Trump loyalists eject journalists who resist their editorial influence. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new study will look at how environmental factors affect Iowan's health. Governor Kim Reynolds reflects on her last legislative session as governor. And former residents of a teen treatment center in Missouri say they were abused there.

There has been a mass shooting in Muscatine that has left seven people dead. Residents in Palo voiced their thoughts on a proposed data center ordinance. And today is the last day Iowans can vote in the primary elections.

ESG StuffBP removes chairman Albert Manifold over governance issues 9The board said the decision was unanimous. In a statement, Amanda Blanc, BP's senior independent director, described the board as having been caught off guard by what it found: "The board has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action."The company did not elaborate on the specific nature of the concerns.Ian Tyler has been named interim chair, BP said, with the board set to begin a formal process to identify a permanent successor: "The Board and leadership team have deep conviction in the strategic direction we have laid out, and the company is moving at pace to deliver it."Manifold took up the chairmanship just last October. At last month's annual general meeting, just 81.8% of shareholders backed his electionAmong the most consequential decisions of Manifold's short tenure: pushing out former CEO Murray Auchincloss and overseeing the selection of Meg O'Neill to succeed him — a hire that marked the first time BP had recruited an external CEO and the first time a woman had led one of the oil industry's largest players.Tulsi Gabbard Exit Marks Fourth Woman to Leave Trump Cabinet 0Apology TourBank boss sorry after describing workers as 'lower value human capital' 7Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters triggered a massive PR firestorm by describing the bank's plan to replace back-office staff with automation as replacing "lower-value human capital" with financial investmentStandard Chartered is cutting roughly 7,800 jobs—representing about 15% of its global back-office corporate support roles—over the next four years to make room for AIAfter internal anger and blistering public criticism, Winters posted a formal apology for his "choice of words." However, he initially fueled the fire by attaching the full interview transcript to justify his broader context, drawing further criticism for being defensiveIn his first attempt to quiet the storm, Winters leaned heavily into the corporate strategy rather than apologizing for the specific phrasing: "I said that lower-value roles are more vulnerable to automation, and that we have a responsibility to help colleagues move into higher-value roles. That is what a responsible employer should do. We will continue to speak honestly about the impact of technological change, and we will continue to act responsibly in helping our people to adapt and succeed."After a barrage of negative comments on his first post, Winters returned to LinkedIn later that day to offer an explicit apology for his phrasing: "I have received a lot of support for the messages in my previous post but still get questions about my choice of words, which I know has caused upset to some colleagues. For that I am sorry.""I think the transcript makes it clear that I value our colleagues – all of them – most highly and that we are totally committed to helping them to cope with the accelerating pace of change in our industry."JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon says bank chief's viral AI comment was 'inartful' Dimon downplayed the viral backlash against Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters—who drew fire for saying his bank would replace "lower-value human capital" with technology—calling it an "inartful" slip-of-the-tongue from a friend.Neopbabies and Dropout babiesJames Murdoch to acquire New York Magazine and Vox Media Podcast Network -1Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn't exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go' 6Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow justified firing his entire Human Resources department by claiming they actively manufactured internal frictionThe aggressive purge follows a brutal 97% collapse in Bolt's valuation—crashing from an $11 billion peak in 2022 down to $300 millionTraditional HR has been entirely swapped for a skeletal "people operations" team, shifting the focus away from employee complaints and internal processes toward basic compliance training and empowering managers to make split-second decisionsAlongside gutting HR, Breslow rolled back employee-friendly benefits like four-day workweeks and unlimited PTO, claiming a culture of complacency had taken over and that 99% of his legacy workforce was simply unwilling to work hardRyan dropped out of Stanford in 2014 to launch BoltThe Middle School Boy Man Babies Rule the WorldMan Drives Cybertruck Into Lake to Test Elon Musk's “Boat” Claims, and It Went About as Well as You'd Guess -10"The passengers abandoned the vehicle and the driver was arrested."Tesla CEO Elon Musk:randomly tweeted that the vehicle would function as a rudimentary flotation device.“It will even float for a while.”“[The vehicle would be able to] traverse at least 100m [330 feet] of water as a boat.”“Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren't too choppy.”Jeff Bezos urges US government to stop taxing 50% of America — and claims doubling his taxes won't help ‘that teacher in Queens' 400Jeff Bezos backs Mamdani's tax on luxury second homes, but says Ken Griffin isn't the villainJeff Bezos on Zohran Mamdani's big mistake: ‘When you don't know how to solve a problem, create a villain, blame them'Jeff Bezos says there is ‘no truth' to the ‘buy borrow die' tax strategyBillionaires Openly Use It: Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has historically pledged over $30 billion worth of his Oracle stock as collateral for personal bank loans. Elon Musk has similarly pledged tens of billions of dollars in Tesla shares to secure lines of credit over the yearsHe said he was "skeptical that that's a true loophole," but added, "If it is, and we can fix it, then we should. I don't think such a loophole should exist."Jeff Bezos Praises Trump's Second Term as ‘More Mature' Jeff Bezos Says AI Will 'Elevate' Workers — Despite Amazon's 30,000 Job Cuts Amid $100 Billion AI PushElon Musk compares his company's work to that of Jesus 0In an interview on Monday, the billionaire said his Neuralink brain-implant company is progressing in its development of ‘Jesus-like technologies'Although brain-computer interface (BCI) as a concept has been around since at least the 1970s, the push to commercialize the technology is more recent. According to data from market-intelligence firm Tracxn, more than 130 BCI startups have been launched since 2016.Why Is Mark Zuckerberg Taunting His Employees Before Firing Them? 20Back in April, Meta announced it was laying off 10 percent of its workforce, or around some 7,800 workers. Unlike traditional layoffs, which are enacted relatively quickly, Meta gave its employees a nearly month-long warning period without announcing who exactly would be headed for the unemployment line.In newly leaked audio from an all-hands meeting at Meta, released by More Perfect Union, the Meta CEO seems to actually be taunting the thousands of workers who were about to be let go by pointing to how the company was harvesting employee data to train its in-house AI models ahead of the massive layoffs.“So we're in a phase where basically the AI models learn from heaving real, from watching really smart people do things. And if you're trying to get it to be able to be able to do certain capabilities, having [AI] be able to observe really smart people doing those things is, is very important.”Going on, Zuckerberg explained that it was better to train AI on soon-to-be-former Meta employees, rather than “contract companies.”“In general, the average intelligence of the people who are at this company is significantly higher than the average set of people that you can get to do tasks if you're working through… contractors,” Zuckerberg stammered. “So if we're trying to teach the models coding, for example, then having people internally, um, build tools that, or, or solve tasks that, um, that help teach the model how to code, we think is going to dramatically increase our models coding ability faster than what others in the industry have the capability to do.”Intuit to Cut 17% of Staff, Invest in ‘Big Bets' 3The restructuring cost is estimated at about $300 million to $340 millionAbout 3,100 employees: and invest the savings in “big bets” as it makes artificial intelligence a centerpiece of its business.Woke WarsTexas AG Sues ISS Over ESG Considerations 0Texas AG Ken Paxton (in a senate race) is suing ISS for allegedly “misleading” customers by pushing “radical political agendas” through its proxy adviceNotably, ISS has attempted to obstruct ExxonMobil's planned reincorporation from New Jersey to Texas“ISS has enormous influence over how billions of dollars are invested and managed across this country, and they have abused that influence in order to push woke ideology”Iowa AG Brenna Bird sues ISS, says advice risks retirement savingsIowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing the world's largest proxy-advice firm for abusing its influence and threatening Iowans' retirement savings by "lying" to investors.Stakeholders Rule!Wells Fargo must pay $100M to help homebuyers after discrimination lawsuit — 51 cities are eligible 7The settlement, which was recently approved by a federal judge in California, comes after four years of legal disputes involving Wells Fargo shareholders, former employees and job applicants who accused the bank of systemic problems in both lending and hiring practices.While Wells Fargo denied wrongdoing, the company agreed to the deal to avoid prolonged litigation and mounting legal costs.The case centered on allegations that Wells Fargo's board failed to maintain adequate oversight of the bank's mortgage lending operations, exposing the company to regulatory scrutiny and accusations of discriminatory practices.According to reporting from Realtor.com, plaintiffs accused the bank of “widespread and systematic discrimination in lending” and cited concerns over lending algorithms and refinancing approval patterns.The lawsuit stated that Wells Fargo was allegedly the only major lender in 2020 to reject more refinancing applications from Black homeowners than it approved.Airbus, Air France Hit With Manslaughter Charges Over Pilot Training Failures in Deadly 2009 Flight 447 Crash 1A Paris appeals court delivered a dramatic verdict in one of the longest-running and most complex legal sagas in aviation history. The court overturned a 2023 acquittal and found both Airbus and Air France guilty of corporate manslaughter for the tragic 2009 crash of Flight AF447.The ruling marks a massive victory for the victims' families after a 17-year legal battle. A lower court had previously cleared the European planemaker and the French airline in 2023, ruling that while errors were made, a direct causal link to the crash couldn't be proven. The appeals court completely rejected that logic, declaring the companies "solely and entirely responsible" for the disaster.Ride-Share Drivers in Massachusetts Formally Unionize 100The App Drivers Union said it was the first organization in the country to be formally certified to represent drivers for apps such as Uber and Lyft.In a news release, the organization, the App Drivers Union, said it would represent nearly 70,000 workers in Massachusetts who now have the power to collectively bargain.MATTA very special “who do we blame for SpaceX IPO governance” gameFirst, some S-1 highlights:“Starlink internet is what's being used to pay for humanity getting to Mars.” - MuskTranslation: We don't care much about Starlink, it's just paying our AI billsHe's not kidding: $3.2bn revenue for Starlink, net income of $1.2m$0.6bn revenue for rocket ship, net income of -$0.6bn$0.8bn revenue for AI, net income of -$2.5bnThis isn't a space company - it's classic Musk - you buy the vision (“To build the systems and technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary, to understand the true nature of the universe, and to extend the light of consciousness to the stars.”), but what you're really buying is an internet company that spends all its money on AI and does some rockets on the sideLet someone else invent the car (Tesla) and make them sexy with “big visions” for “humanity”Let someone else invent the rockets, build new ones using someone else's moneyLet someone else invent the satellites, put a whole bunch in space (and buy more satellites from someone else)Musk initially took the role of “Chief Engineer”, but every engineering task seems to have been the other employees - he supplied the moneyShoehorned AI into space exploration because…?Grok is designed as a truth-seeking AI model, built on our founder Elon Musk's mission to enable humanity to understand the universe. We believe that accomplishing this mission requires a truth-seeking approach to AI. We define truth seeking as the active, relentless pursuit of what is objectively true about reality, and grounded in evidence, logic, empirical data, and first principles thinking.AI's ability to revolutionize human potential is directly dependent on meeting exponentially increasing resource demands.We now must go to space to get more resources for AI so we can get to spaceNow the governance who do you blame gameMusk will get:85% voting power (dual class, he owns 94% of Class B 10 vote shares and 12% of Class A shares)The ability to nominate and vote exclusively on >50% of the boardA board which currently includes..TWO execs - Gwynne Shotwell (President) and Musk (three titles)Tesla mafia: Ira Ehreinpreis, Tesla board sycophant, director at the Boring Company and xAI, and longtime Musk hanger on, added Feb 2026Antonio Gracias, ex Tesla director who was explicitly called out in the Tornetta decision as corrupted, cross party transactions with Musk, on boards of Neuralink and Boring Company, added Oct 2010TWO VC bros from DFJ - Randy Glein (SpaceX board observer for 16 years, directors since Feb 2026) and Steve Jurvestson (former Tesla director, director since March 2009) who was ousted from the VC firm with his name on it for sexual harassmentPaypal mafia:Luke Nosek, co founder of PayPal, one of the founders of Founders Fund with Thiel and Ken Howery, invested in DeepMind, director since July 2008Donald Harrison - managed Google purchase of DeepMind, relationship with Nosek, director since Feb 2015Director relationship tenures to Musk: Shotwell: 24 yearsEhreinpreis: 21 yearsGracias: 21 yearsJurvetson: 17 yearsGlein: 16 yearsNosek: 26 yearsHarrison: 11 years (+1 if Nosek/Deepmind connection counts)Texas jurisdiction exclusively (judge shopped) - 3% to sue them, mandatory arbitration, anti-takeover statutes, special meetings ONLY CALLED BY MUSK (no one less than 50% of stock can call a meeting or vote)No written consent - no prior noticeAdvance notice bylaws for the zero shareholder proposals allowedFull omission of board liability - including a provision that automatically allows whatever the conflicts of interest they want with directorsWHO (WHEN) DO YOU BLAME?The US GovernmentDepartment of Energy - in 2010, the DoE gave Tesla a $465m loan, which basically paid for the Model S and helped it buy a factory 6 months before it went public - Musk has said Tesla would not have survived without the loanNevada - in 2014, Nevada gave Musk $1.3bn to build a factory, the most everNASA - spent more than $15bn over years on SpaceX and programs with themThe IRS/Congress - the EV tax credit for $7,500 single handedly pushed Tesla from losing money in 2020 to making money (they effectively got $1.6bn from the US government in 2020), and showing its first profit, which sparked the memefest during COVID and made Musk the richest man on earth - Musk then went on and called for an end to the tax credit since his “competitors” needed it more than Tesla. Tesla made ~$11bn from tax credits aloneThe DoD - started paying SpaceX in 2003 for concept work - and even when the rockets didn't work, the DoD and NASA awarded the company massive contracts anywayJeff Bezos said in 2016 that, “Elon's real superpower is getting government money.”FOMOSpaceX LOSES MONEY - it does not make moneyIf it were a satellite internet company - and NOT THE FIRST - the first was HughesNet in 1996, and Viasat offered it in 2012 - it would make money ($1.2m in income!)Instead, investors are valuing SpaceX as THE LARGEST IPO IN THE HISTORY OF EVER despite the fact that they are burning money on AI, and arguably the worst AIIncluding spending the most on R&D, marketing, and acquisition of Cursor to make up for the fact that Grok suckedIn exchange for FOMO, investors have ENTIRELY GIVEN UP THEIR RIGHTSIt is 100% a private companyTornettaIf Tornetta hadn't sued for Musk's pay, would SpaceX be structured this way?The banks underwriting the dealWho AGREED TO BUY GROK as a term of getting the underwriting, because everyone bends the knee to moneyThe boardI guess

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back with us on the program. We cover it all and Eric is just the guy to help us. Let's get into it.

Eric the Analytical Iowan is back with us on the program. We cover it all and Eric is just the guy to help us. Let's get into it.